Dominion of the Sun
The Dominion of the Sun is a militant Thalassian organization sworn to House Dawnlight. Formed in year 30 of the Lotharian Calendar, the Dominion has been at the forefront of numerous campaigns against the Grand Alliance and is one of the most notorious armies of Azeroth. Unrivaled in military technology, the Dominion claims credit for a number of cutting-edge innovations such as the Ley-Cruiser, lending to their unprecedented achievements in the name of Horde conquest. Primarily concerned with Thalassian interests, the organization is heavy involved in the social and political spheres of Quel'Thalas, promoting a nationalistic agenda to restore the elven power in the Eastern Kingdoms and abroad. =History= ---- Foundation and Early Expeditions The Dominion of the Sun was founded by Tendael Dawnlight a few months after the Argent Crusade vanquished the Lich King at Icecrown Citadel as a response to an alarming increase in Alliance raids throughout Quel'Thalas. Sin'dorei veterans returning from Northrend who sought purpose after the Lich King's defeat were easily accommodated within the organization. By providing protection for the realm, the Dominion quickly became recognized as one of the most venerated organizations of Quel'Thalas. By the time the raids had ended, the Dominion had accrued a sizeable army. The Cataclysm brought about a dramatic shift in attitude towards the Alliance, especially among those of the Dominion who were still vengeful towards the faction that had sanctioned the invasions of Quel'Thalas. With the realm's borders secured, the Dominion made preparations to spearhead a series of retaliatory campaigns across Azeroth. The first campaign conducted by the Dominion began four months after the Cataclysm. The initial objective of the campaign was to reclaim abandoned Sunfury machinery on Bloodmyst Isle, but rapidly deteriorated into a hostile confrontation between the elves and draenei. After the Dominion had established a foothold on the island, the invasion was met with swift reprisal by a draenic faction called the Sha'nash. The Sha'nash managed to sink the Dominion fleet, effectively stranding them on the island without reinforcements. The Dominion managed to hold out for a few days before their call for aid was answered by a legion of Blood Knights from Silvermoon. With significant casualties, the Dominion withdrew from the island, unable to recover anything of value. Less than a month after the Bloodmyst incident, the Dominion began pursuing a relic lost in the Storm Peaks of Northrend. The relic, a rumored Titanic weapon, was also being sought after by a powerful dwarven faction called the Mountain Guard. The two forces clashed on the mountains, fighting for control of several excavation points. The Dominion was the first to unearth the relic, but it was wrested from them during transport by the dwarves in a naval battle. As the dwarves sailed back for Ironforge, a large storm marooned them on a small island near Vash'jir. The Dominion fleet eventually caught up to the dwarven survivors and defeated them, but discovered later that the relic had been lost in the wreck and had likely sunk to the bottom of the sea. Although several attempts to recover the artifact have been made, none of them have been successful. Some speculate that it was swallowed by a whale shark on the way down, marking the beasts as prey for treasure hunters. Another campaign took place on Northrend after the loss of the Titan weapon. Once again, the Dominion faced off with the Sha'nash in a hunt for special scrolls thought to be direct transcripts of the Arcanomicon. These scrolls, as described by the Reliquary, were transcribed by a double agent working for Malygos. The Sha'nash, convinced the scrolls were dangerous and needed to be destroyed, found little to negotiate with the Dominion. The two forces clashed across Northrend for weeks until a chest was found on an island just off the coast of the Howling Fjord. Believing the scrolls were stored within the chest, the Dominion personnel opened it where it was discovered, only for the personnel within close proximity to be inflicted with a lethal curse. Extinguished morale forced the search to be called off after the death of a leading Dominion researcher. Rise of the Ashborne Several months later, the Dominion began a new campaign to uncover a sacred relic thought to be the former libram of Uther the Lightbringer. This libram, a treasure of the Clergy of Holy Light, was said to contain powers capable of resurrecting entire armies. It was during this campaign that a division within the Dominion known as the Ashborne came to light. The Ashborne spearheaded the campaign against the Clergy which eventually ended in Stromgarde. The Dominion conquered the Clergy, as well as the Alliance forces aiding them, but the libram was nowhere to be found. The Clergy, infuriated by the aggression of the Ashborne, drew massive sympathy from the Grand Alliance. One of these factions, another dwarven military called the Dwarven Vanguard, led a massive invasion of Arathi in an effort to retake the Northeastern Kingdoms for the Alliance. A coalition of several Alliance armies marched north, threatening the Horde dominance of all lands above the Thandol Span. The Dominion, fighting alongside a coalition of other Horde factions, managed to defeat the Alliance in the Arathi Highlands and force them to withdraw. The campaign gained the Dominion recognition from the Kor'kron and Forsaken. Later, the Dominion traveled to Kalimdor searching for artifacts left behind from the Shatterspear Tribe. The Shatterspear, believed to have been wiped out by the night elves, were a key population essential for many arguments and theories on the evolution of elves from trolls. The Dominion army marched through Darkshore and were ambushed constantly by night elves and worgen. The blood elves persisted and eventually triumphed, reaching the ruins of Shatterspear Village in just a few weeks. Artifacts were taken from the village and distributed to various locations. Some were gifted to the Kor'kron, some were given to the Darkspear for safeguarding, some were given to the Reliquary, and some were kept as trophies or hidden in the Dominion's most secure vaults. The Theramore Campaign While in Kalimdor, the Dominion gained wind of an attack on Durotar. Just returning from the Shatterspear Expedition, they rushed to Sen'jin Village just in time to prepare against a massive naval invasion intended to disable the Horde fleet at Bloodwreck Bay. A coalition of Horde factions, including the Hand of Vengeance, Kor'kron Legion, Phoenix Battalion, Sunguard, and others, banded together with the Dominion to reinforce the coast and repel the massive onslaught of Alliance forces. The next day, Alliance warships were spotted on the horizon. Within hours, the Alliance had arrived at the southern coast of Durotar, commencing the Battle of Bloodwreck Bay. The Alliance gained momentum with their initial victory on the beach front and proceeded to overtake Sen'jin Village and Razor Hill. Meanwhile, a detachment of Horde forces were sent to reinforce Bloodwreck Bay. A hard battle was fought over the keep, but in the end the Horde managed to defend it and drive the Alliance back. Regrettably, many ships were sunk in the battle, crippling the nautical capabilities of the coalition. When the defenders returned from Bloodwreck Bay, they rallied with the rest of the forces and managed to retake Razor Hill and Sen'jin. The Alliance then reconvened and decided to withdraw from Durotar, considering their primary objective completed. The coalition of Horde factions who participated in the battle formed a more formal alliance, branding themselves as the forces of the Vyper Treaty. Following the attack on Bloodwreck Bay, the Alliance withdrew to Theramore and began to calculate the Horde's next move. Having temporarily disabled a majority of the fleet at Bloodwreck Bay, the threat of a naval invasion of Theramore was significantly diminished. Leaders of the Vyper Treaty convened, unanimously deciding upon retaliation. Committed to revenge, they began to march upon their first target: Northwatch Hold. The Dominion forces, alongside their new allies, mobilized for a massive invasion by land. Marching along the eastern coast of Kalimdor, they eventually arrived at Northwatch in just a matter of weeks. The Siege of Northwatch Hold lasted for days. In its wake, the bay was stained with blood and littered with corpses of those who fell in a valiant struggle for dominance. Despite the gruesome toll, the Horde relentlessly pressed their assault. Alliance spies soon discovered that the Horde was planning to use a final attack on the fortress as a distraction whil a large caravan of supplies and siege weapons were transported around the keep to an outpost in Southern Barrens called Desolation Hold. Placing the defense of Northwatch as its first priority, the Alliance held fast to the beleaguered fortress and sent a small detachment of forces to deal with the Horde caravan. On the final day, the Horde unleashed their final assault on Northwatch and the caravan began moving. In spite of the Alliance's best efforts, they were not able to intercept the caravan. A breach had taken place, expanding the reach of the conflict. Nevertheless, Alliance reinforcements arrived at the fortress just in time to stem the tide. The Horde had nearly taken the keep, but in a final rush of glory, the Alliance broke their offensive and forced them to withdraw. Northwatch Hold remained standing, but the price was yet to be realized. With their primary objective met, the Vyper Treaty forces turned their attention to Fort Triumph. Pouring all of their resources into Southern Barrens, they prepared to wage a new front at the infamous Battlescar. The war-torn trench that stood between Desolation Hold and Fort Triumph soon escalated into a storm of bloodshed known as the Clash of the Battlescar. As the days pressed on, the Alliance attempted to summon reinforcements from Honor's Stand to the north. As they crossed the threshold into the Overgrowth, the Alliance soon discovered they had fallen into a Horde trap. Arrows descended from the canopy and caught their forces off guard. The guerilla warfare proved to be too much for the armies to handle, forcing them to withdraw. On the next day, the Alliance attempted to sabotage the Fazzlecraz Mine to the south in order to cut off the Horde's supply of demolitions. A vicious showdown was held in the mines, destroying a great deal of equipment in the process. At the end of the day, the Horde managed to defend the mine, but had lost a sizeable portion of their demolitions. On the final day, the Alliance made one last effort to break the siege and crush Desolation Hold's forces. Although they initially turned the tides of war in their favor, the Horde quickly regrouped at their fortress and retaliated. In the final hours of the conflict, the Horde had pushed the Alliance all the way back to Fort Triumph. The Alliance holed up in the fortress, unable to retaliate or receive aid. With its gates closed and the victor of the Battlescar determined, the Alliance had no choice but to pull out from Southern Barrens and entrench themselves deeper in Dustwallow Marsh. Meanwhile, the Vyper Treaty forces began shifting gears and setting a new course for Theramore. With only a murky swampland between the Horde Offensive and its final goal, morale began to soar. Victory, at long last, seemed within their grasp. But it wasn't long before the Horde armies realized that Dustwallow would be the most difficult obstacle of them all. On top of the unforgiving terrain, the Alliance-controlled Highway was lined up with siege engines from Theramore. The Vyper Treaty's offensive came to a screeching halt. If Theramore was to be razed, it would require time and persistence. While the Horde forces began their slow trek through the swampland, the Alliance began to prepare for the inevitable Siege of Theramore. A dire request for reinforcements was sent out to all neighboring Alliance armies. The first message was received by a kaldorei faction in Feralas, stationed at the Feathermoon Stronghold. Although the kaldorei answered the call for help, their caravan was intercepted by the Horde at Camp Mojache, starving Theramore of relief. Just weeks before the final Siege of Theramore, Tendael was arrested by the Kor'kron for openly voicing against Warchief Garrosh. Volanaro Ael'aran assumed control of the Dominion and continued the campaign alongside the forces of the Vyper Treaty. Eventually, the Horde army reached Theramore, besieging it from all sides. Though the forces of the Vyper Treaty seemed prepared, the Alliance repelled the invasion, leading to a staggering death toll for the Horde. Following their retreat, a zeppelin dropped a mana bomb on the city, nearly disentegrating a majority of it in mere seconds. The remaining Dominion forces, weary and weathered, returned to Quel'Thalas to reassess their military and political situation. Reorganization Upon Tendael's release from prison and return to Quel'Thalas, the Sovereign saw fit to withdraw the Dominion from world affairs and focus on its internal assets. This rebranding of the organization came as an unwelcome surprise to many of the Dominion's veterans who felt that acting as a separate entity from the Horde would label them as traitors. Nevertheless, Tendael strove to reassure his men that the Dominion would continue to keep the interests of Quel'Thalas at heart. Militia operations came to a grinding halt, but the newly reformed organization continued to expand its military prowess by investing in new weapons technologies. Revenue for the organization came from a variety of sources ranging from artifact acquisitions to mercenary contracting. The Ashborne, now led by Volanaro, continued to act as a subgroup within the Dominion that waged a number of bloody, ideological crusades against the Alliance. Meanwhile, in Uldum, the Dominion employed a number of workers to dig out an extensive underground stronghold from which they could secure their assets and produce new technology. The site of this new base of operations, named Zenith, became the first piece of land claimed by the organization since its founding. Below the shifting desert sands, Zenith became the center of Dominion innovation, training, research, and treasury. Because of the clandestine nature of the projects conducted in Zenith, all of its personnel were sworn to secrecy. Even high-ranking members of the Dominion were granted limited access to the compound's facilities. One of the many projects that came from Zenith during this time was the ley-cruiser. Not long after these changes to the organization, the continent of Pandaria was discovered to the south. Many ambitious enterprises ventured to the new land in search of new wealth, and the Dominion was no exception. Managing to gain the trust of the native pandaren, the Dominion gained access to libraries of ancient texts. In researching the lore of Pandaria, the organization soon set out to uncover catalogs of valuable artifacts and relics. Unfortunately, they were not alone. Rival organizations, generally loyal to the Alliance, contested the Dominion on a number of battlefields in search of the same prizes. The Dominion continued its operations in Pandaria for a few months until both the Alliance and Horde arrived in full force. Once again, the Dominion found itself under pressure to join the Horde in battling the Alliance on Pandaria. Krasarang Wilds became a war zone, and while the organization attempted to avoid involvement at first, it soon became impossible to ignore the threat posed by the Alliance army. A few weeks after the initial invasion, Jaina Proudmoore forcefully removed the Sunreavers from Dalaran, giving rise to an enormous stir back in Silvermoon. Many of the Dominion's own, who were unfortunate enough to be in Dalaran at the time, were caught up in the purge and imprisoned in the Violet Hold. The Dalaran Insurgency Infuriated by Proudmoore's actions, the Dominion began preparations for a campaign to retake Dalaran. Drawing from the support of volunteers, mercenaries, and other military organizations, the Dominion spearheaded a massive invasion of Northrend. The strategy was to capture the Violet Stand in Crystalsong Forest, then launch an assault on the floating city from the ground. Brashly, Tendael made a list of demands which were presented to the Kirin Tor. Unsurprisingly, the ultimatum was rejected, and soon the forces of the Grand Alliance were summoned to defend Dalaran from the advancing Horde. The Dominion and her allies fought a difficult uphill battle across the continent, losing many forces along the way. Eventually, they reached Crystalsong Forest, making Sunreaver Outpost their primary base of operations. On the eve of the assault on the Violet Stand, Tendael was summoned to a parlay. There, the Sovereign was given a opportunity to spare the lives of his men on the condition that he cease the campaign and turn himself in as a prisoner of war. What swayed Tendael's decision, however, was the promise that all Sunreaver prisoners would be released from the Violet Hold. Although there were massive protests from the rest of the commanders and his own officers, Tendael turned himself in to the custody of lord Maxen Montclair where he was teleported to Westridge for a pending trial. Just before departing, Tendael named Volanaro Ael'aran his successor in case he did not return. Although an accord has been reached, the Horde were infuriated by the turn of events and proceeded to assault the Violet Stand as planned. Just before the Horde seized victory, Dalaran floated out of range, making it all for naught. The Dominion, along with the rest of the Horde, had won a hollow victory. Meanwhile, in Westridge, Tendael was brought before a military tribunal for judgment of his crimes against the Grand Alliance. He was convicted to life in prison, but was assassinated by Ashamal Shalah'aman as he left the courtroom. The outrage that followed caused a political shockwave that was felt across all factions of the Alliance. When the Dominion gained wind of the news, they vowed revenge. Volanaro, now Sovereign of the Dominion, publicized their intentions in a written declaration to the Alliance. Succession and Rebranding Volanaro remained Sovereign for several months before Tendael's son, Setrien, returned from a journey to take the reigns of the organization. Ael'aran retired, leaving Setrien to carry on his father's legacy. Under Setrien's command, the Dominion participated in several campaigns across Outland and Azeroth. Most notable were their victories over the Alliance Congregation in Blade's Edge and a successful sortie in the Siege of Orgrimmar. A few months after the siege ended and Garrosh was deposed, representatives from the Silvermoon brought evidence of exuberant debt incurred by House Dawnlight to fund the Dominion's war machine. Unable to come up with the gold, the leaders of the Dominion were forced to reach an agreement with Silvermoon. In exchange for limited autonomy, the organization would become an extension of the Thalassian military, vowing themselves fully to the Regent Lord. Thus, in January of 34 L.C., the Dominion of the Sun was officially renamed The Fireborne as a sanctioned regiment of Quel'Thalas. =Gallery= ---- kdGLC.jpg|Campfire Story tE2Mo.jpg|Paratrooping ebKtk.png|Posing in Silvermoon cl1Ne.jpg|Exploring Stranglethorn deIQ9.jpg|Cooking Dinner fGynt.jpg|Standing Proud JcVAx.jpg|Trekking Darkshore m77Va.jpg|Promotion Ceremony WoWScrnShot_031411_213223.jpg|Tanaris Campaign WoWScrnShot_051311_202737.jpg WoWScrnShot_070911_210608.jpg Category:Horde Guilds Category:Blood Elf Guilds Category:Horde Military Guilds Category:Dominion of the Sun Category:Quel'Thalas Organizations Category:Organizations Category:Horde PvP Guilds Category:Thalassian Army Category:Thalassian Military Category:Military Organizations Category:RP-PvP Guilds Category:The Fireborne Category:Disbanded Horde Guilds Category:Disbanded Organizations